How do I Improve Communication Between Patients & CNA?

Certified nursing assistants care for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, rehab centers and private homes. Depending on the health care setting, CNAs may have very little time to communicate more than pleasantries to patients. Making the most of the time CNAs have with patients leaves a lasting impression. Coach CNAs about how to ask open-ended questions. Speak about the patient, her family, pets, hobbies, hopes and dreams. Avoid anything that diverts CNAs attention from clients.

Instructions

• 1

  Small amounts of time for patient communications yield big dividends in practical nursing care.

  Give CNAs more time to communicate. CNAs have busy schedules. Attending to many patients in a short period creates occupational stress. Physicians and nurses seeking better communication between patients and CNAs should review schedules. Adding another CNA to the hospital or nursing home floor, for example, allows CNAs more time and energy to devote to a patient. Since CNAs often want to spend more time at bedside, providing a few extra minutes delivers dividends in patient satisfaction.

• 2

  Teach CNAs to ask questions about their patients and to avoid conversations about themselves.

  Teach CNAs about open-ended questions. Most people when asked believe they use open-ended questions, but most do not. Studies about the importance of communications in health care show its importance. Communicating well impacts a patient's quality of care.

  Simple adjustments to how CNAs communicate make a great difference in how much a patient likes and trusts him. Instead of asking yes and no questions, CNAs should practice asking questions to elicit information from the patient. Prepare a list of open-ended questions to spark communications. Ask a gardening enthusiast "How did you learn to grow a garden from seeds?" or prompt a jewelry lover with "Tell me again about how your husband gave you that gorgeous ring."

• 3

  Focus CNA attention and conversation completely on the patient.

  Reserve a one-hour in-service communications training for CNAs. Discuss the importance of reviewing their daily and weekly schedule and apportioning an appropriate time period for each patient. Encourage mock communications between CNAs. Improving communications starts with friendship skills.

• 4

  CNAs should leave technology behind when attending to patients' needs.

  Encourage CNAs to leave mobile phones, netbooks and MP3 players in a locker or in their car before attending to patients. These devices divert attention away from the patient. All CNA attention must remain on the patient.

• 5

  A CNA should deliver sunshine to clients.

  Forget about telephony. In home care, CNAs have greater opportunity to lavish attention on their patients. Schedulers of home-care-focused CNAs must ensure that CNAs have ample time to travel between clients. Arriving in the home, the CNA should not focus on the need to clock in by phone or make any connection other than with the client. A smile, warm greeting and fluffing of a pillow should accompany her visit instead. Home care firms focused on telephony "time clocks" miss the opportunity to develop better communications each time the CNA arrives in the client's home.